The present invention relates to a door hinge mounting structure, and more particularly to a door hinge mounting structure for a door panel or a door mounting portion of a vehicle body, that positions the door hinge on the vehicle body side or the door side on an assembly line of automobiles when the door is remounted on the vehicle body after the door has been temporarily mounted on the vehicle body for painting and also pieces of equipment have been mounted on the vehicle side and the door side while the door being removed.
In assembling processes of automotive vehicles, painting is performed after door panels are temporarily mounted on the vehicle body. After the painting work has been completed, the door panels are removed from the vehicle body in such a manner that seats can be assembled to the vehicle body and window glass can be assembled to the door panels. Thereafter, the door panels are remounted on the vehicle body at their original positions.
Consequently, in order to reassemble the door panels to the vehicle body, door hinges need to be positioned on the vehicle body side or the door side. Proposed as a door hinge positioning structure as has just been described above is a technology which is described in, for example, JP-B-6-49798U.
The prior art will be described with reference to FIG. 10.
In the prior art, a positioning bolt passable hole 103 for a positioning bolt 102 is pierced through a pillar outer panel 101, and the positioning bolt 102 is screwed through a threaded hole 105 formed in a retaining plate 104 provided in the interior of the pillar outer panel 101, whereby the positioning bolt 102 is positioned in the pillar outer panel 101. A door hinge 106 is positioned based on this positioning bolt 102.
In addition, the door hinge 106 comprises a moving side bracket 107 and a fixed side bracket 108 which are rotatably assembled together with a connecting pin 109. In addition, reference numeral 110 denotes a door panel.
Incidentally, in the prior art, when the positioning bolt 102 is screwed through the retaining plate 104 provided within the pillar outer panel 101, the positioning bolt passable hole 103 formed in the pillar outer panel 101 deviates largely from the threaded hole 105 in the retaining plate 104 in normal conditions.
Consequently, since the positioning bolt 102 needs to be passed through the positioning bolt passable hole 103 and the threaded hole 105 by matching the positioning bolt passable hole 103 and the threaded hole 105 while holding the retaining plate 104 with a hand, there is caused a problem that the working efficiency is deteriorated.
In addition, in the prior art, in order to improve the efficiency in passing the positioning bolt 102 through the holes, since an inserting portion 111 of a small outside diameter needs to be provided at a distal end of the positioning bolt 102 to facilitate the ingress of the distal end portion of the positioning bolt 102 into the positioning bolt passable hole 103, a general-purpose bolt cannot be used as the positioning bolt, causing a problem that the component costs are increased.
Accordingly, it is a main object of the invention to provide a door hinge mounting structure which allows the positioning bolt to be passed through the holes without supporting the retaining plate with the hand so that the working efficiency can be improved and which also allows a normal general-purpose bolt to be used as the positioning bolt without using any particular positioning bolt so that the component costs can be reduced.
With a view to attaining the main object, according to a first aspect of the invention, there is provided a door hinge mounting structure in which a retaining member having a threaded hole formed therein is provided in the interior of a door panel or a door mounting portion on a vehicle body and in which a positioning bolt is threadedly engaged with the threaded hole in the retaining member via a positioning bolt passable hole formed in the door panel or the door mounting portion, whereby a door hinge is positioned based on the position of the positioning bolt so mounted, the door hinge mounting structure being characterized in that the positioning bolt passable hole is formed larger than the threaded hole in the retaining member, and in that restrictive wall portions are provided in the interior of the door panel or the door mounting portion on the vehicle body for restricting the movement of the retaining member within a range in which the positioning bolt passable hole and the threaded hole in the retaining member substantially coincide in position with each other.
With this structure, according to the door hinge mounting structure according to the first aspect of the invention, since the movement of the retaining member is limited within a predetermined range by the restrictive wall portions for restricting the moving range of the retaining member, the positioning bolt passable hole and the threaded hole can be matched substantially, whereby the positioning bolt can be passed through the holes without supporting the retaining member with the hand.
In addition, since the positioning bolt passable hole formed in the door panel or the door mounting portion is made larger than the threaded hole in the retaining member, it becomes easier for the positioning bolt to be inserted into the positioning bolt passable hole than in a case where the positioning bolt passable hole is identical in size to the threaded hole. Consequently, no inserting portion of a small outside diameter needs to be additionally formed at the distal end portion of the positioning bolt so as to improve the working efficiency, whereby a general-purpose bolt can be used as the positioning bolt.
According to a second aspect of the invention, there is provided a door hinge mounting structure as set forth in the first aspect of the invention, wherein the retaining member is provided with a projection which protrudes radially outwardly of the threaded hole, and wherein an opening is formed between the restrictive wall portions for passage of the projection.
With this structure, according to the door hinge mounting structure as set forth in the second aspect of the invention, when the positioning bolt is passed through the holes, the retaining member can be prevented from rotating around the threaded hole by the projection on the retaining member and the opening between the restrictive wall portions. Consequently, the rotation of the retaining member can be restricted at positions disposed away from the rotational center of the retaining member without constructing the retaining member itself larger.
Furthermore, according to a third aspect of the invention, there is provided a door hinge mounting structure as set forth in the first or second aspect of the invention, wherein the restrictive wall portions each form a portion which faces the opening along directions in which the retaining member rotates around the threaded hole.
With this structure, according to the door hinge mounting structure as set forth in the third aspect of the invention, since the restrictive wall portions are formed in such a manner as to extend along orientations which are opposite to the rotating directions of the retaining member, the prevention of the rotation of the retaining member can be ensured further.
According to a fourth aspect of the invention, there is provided a door hinge mounting structure as set forth in any of the first, second and third aspects of the invention, wherein the restrictive wall portions are provided in a recessed portion formed on the door panel or the door mounting portion.
With this structure, according to the door hinge mounting structure as set forth in the fourth aspect of the invention, the retaining member is also accommodated in the recessed portion formed on the door panel or the door mounting portion, whereby the door hinge mounting structure can be formed compact. In addition, a great mounting strength can be secured at the door hinge mounting structure.
According to a fifth aspect of the invention, there is provided a door hinge mounting portion as set forth in any of the first to fourth aspects of the invention, wherein the retaining member is provided with a pair of left and right symmetrical projections.
With this structure, according to the door hinge mounting structure as set forth in the fifth aspect of the invention, when inserting the positioning bolt in the threaded hole to screw (threadedly engage) it therethrough forces are exerted on the left and right projections equally, and the forces are dispersed relative to the restrictive wall portions, whereby the projections themselves and the restrictive wall portions may not have to be formed sturdier and larger than required.